COVID-19 has significantly impacted all aspects of our lives. But the need for businesses to connect to their customers and prospects remains.
Social media is quickly turning into the go-to marketing option for brands worldwide to achieve this crucial business goal.
The Rise of Social Media in the COVID-19 Era
As people were required and advised to remain indoors and limit their movements to prevent the spread of infection, social media usage has witnessed a huge spike.
For instance, according to a report on DataReportal, social media usage increased by 10.5% in July 2020 compared to July 2019. Another report by eMarketer suggests that Facebook witnessed a usage surge of 70% across its apps in March 2020.
From staying connected with friends and family, reading the latest news, to entertainment, social platforms have now turned into a go-to digital source.
But an event like the current pandemic significantly impacts user and consumer behavior. So, it is very much possible that a pre-COVID-19 social media marketing strategy might not deliver similar results in the post-COVID-19 world.
Marketers need to tweak their strategies to provide what the consumers are now looking for on social platforms. Here are three tips that can help-
1. “Re-Understand” Your Audience
Marketing on social platforms abundantly relies on empathy. With anxiety and fear due to the pandemic spreading faster than the virus itself, now more than ever, people are expecting the brands they deal with to be more empathetic and understanding.
But being empathetic is all about how well you understand your audience. If you’ve been using social media marketing for some time and believe that you know your audience, you might not know them well in their current state.
You can begin with their basic information, like age, gender, location, income, and interests. Then move on to get a better understanding of what the potential and existing customers are currently feeling and thinking. The more you try to know your audience, the easier it will be for your brand to build lasting relationships in the post-COVID-19 world.
2. Move Beyond Clicks and Focus on Conversations
At times like these, social media turns into a platform for conversations. Marketers should move beyond click-driven results and outcome expectations of the pre-COVID world. Priority should be given to participating in conversations across platforms, like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or even TikTok.
Every content you create should spark lively and positive conversations and engagement. Try to be more active in the comments section of your posts to make your brand appear more human and not just another multinational company that is only focused on selling its products and services.
The primary use of social networking platforms is to connect people and facilitate conversations. In the post-COVID-19 world, focus more on this primary purpose to better connect with your audience. Do it well, and it might automatically bring in the clicks and conversions.
3. Adjust Your Success Metrics
You are running a business, and your final goal is to make money. But this is not really the time to continue focusing on the KPIs. While it is not wise to overlook them completely, you should try to rethink your social media approach and how you measure success, at least for a considerable duration when the world is trying to recover from the pandemic.
For instance, before the pandemic, ROI was considered the king. Now, ROI sure is essential, but other metrics like likes, comments, clicks, and shares will help you better gauge how people engage with your brand on social platforms.
Not to forget that the pandemic has also had a significant financial impact on most people. So, as they might not want to make a purchase now, these engagement metrics will help you better understand your popularity among your audience and their future probability of making a purchase.
Rethink Your Social Media Strategy to Succeed in the Post-COVID-19 World
With more people now using social networking platforms, this can be an excellent time to boost your social presence. But do so in a way that you encourage conversations, educate, inspire, and offer help at every available opportunity.
You can always consult digital marketing professionals to help you build a robust social media marketing strategy that is in line with not just your business goals but also the changed expectations and behaviors of the consumers.
